Cost of ownership

On Oct 27, 8:37*pm, Eric Greenwell wrote:
...Without the motor, I'd land out about
10 times a year, so guessing at $100 average for tow and trailer
retrieves = $1000.

You are a braver man than I am Eric. I've landed out once since 2003
and that was an airport - but without a motor I probably fly
differently when things get dodgy. I don't have a soaring operation
close to home - but the air is generally stable around the SF Bay so
I'd have relocate by ground or air either way. As you said -
everyone's mileage varies.

Aside from the absolute capital cost my main issue is I just don't
want to do all the additional fiddling and troubleshooting that a
motor demands - at least not while my free time is in short supply. I
used to work with my Dad on his Nimbus 3DM and we had more mechanical
gremlins ground us for days on end than I'd care to recall. Maybe
after a few seasons it all sorts itself out but I see lots of guys at
the airport heads down in the engine bay.

Do you think motorgliders are owned disproportionately by pilots who
are fully or semi-retired? That is my casual observation, but I don't
know if it's true in general. If true it could be simply that that's
where the money is or it could be that's when the extra time comes
available.

9B

Andy wrote:
On Oct 27, 8:37 pm, Eric Greenwell wrote:

...Without the motor, I'd land out about
10 times a year, so guessing at $100 average for tow and trailer
retrieves = $1000.


You are a braver man than I am Eric. I've landed out once since 2003
and that was an airport - but without a motor I probably fly
differently when things get dodgy.
By "land out", I really meant "land away from home". I generally fly
within reach of an airport, even with the motorglider. During my 50 or
so flights each year, I'll typically restart the motor about 10 times,
and maybe only one will be over a field instead of an airport.
I don't have a soaring operation
close to home - but the air is generally stable around the SF Bay so
I'd have relocate by ground or air either way. As you said -
everyone's mileage varies.

Aside from the absolute capital cost my main issue is I just don't
want to do all the additional fiddling and troubleshooting that a
motor demands - at least not while my free time is in short supply. I
used to work with my Dad on his Nimbus 3DM and we had more mechanical
gremlins ground us for days on end than I'd care to recall. Maybe
after a few seasons it all sorts itself out but I see lots of guys at
the airport heads down in the engine bay.

It can happen. I've been fortunate that engine problems have never
interfered with flying, as I've always been able to do maintenance
during unflyable periods. When I flew towed gliders, I was out of luck
many times, when the towplane was down, or a tow pilot couldn't be
scheduled.
Do you think motorgliders are owned disproportionately by pilots who
are fully or semi-retired? That is my casual observation, but I don't
know if it's true in general.
I'm not sure either. I suspect it's true, and it certainly makes it
easier to find days with good soaring! I'm hoping the electric powered
gliders will reduce the fiddling to nearly zero, and attract pilots that
are put off by the motor maintenance and more complex operation of the
gas powered gliders.
If true it could be simply that that's
where the money is or it could be that's when the extra time comes
available.

The older pilot will tend to have more money for gliders than the
younger pilot, for obvious reasons, and will have the time to fully
utilize the glider. That makes it a better value.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

* "Transponders in Sailplanes" http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* Sections on Mode S, TPAS, ADS-B, Flarm, more

* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org